I have lost track, says minister Mutagamba
Ms Maria Mutagamba
KAMPALA
Minister Maria Mutagamba said yesterday she had “lost direction” in her attempts to manage the environment.
Speaking on the eve of World Environment Day, Ms Mutagamba said the filling-in of wetlands with the complicity of Lands officials had affected plans to sustainably manage the city’s environment.
Ms Mutagamba said developers have reclaimed parts of Lubigi and Kinawataka wetlands, received land titles in contravention of the law and potentially affected the livelihoods of many city dwellers.
“I must confess that I have lost direction because as we struggle to protect the natural resources especially wetlands, other people are there to issue land titles without considering the effects of the activities,” Ms Mutagamba said.
She added: “We need to find the cause of the problem and hence the solution.”
She was speaking during a function to launch a countrywide wetland demarcation exercise but did not say what efforts her ministry would take to stop the issuance of titles to wetlands.
Speaking at the same function, State Minister for Lands Sarah Achieng Opendi admitted that it was out of order for titles to be issued against wetlands but blamed it on the lack of a computerised land management system.
“The officials at the land registration are desk officers and rely on area land committees at sub-counties instead of visiting the places,” Ms Opendi said.
“We take the blame but I think the problem is bigger than we see on ground because land boards are working independently. If there are land titles issued in error, they will be cancelled. We are going to be a little more careful not to issue more new titles on wetlands,” she added.
The junior lands minister did not explain why the computerised land registry system, which was started several years ago, is not yet in operation.
Ms Mutagamba promised to set up a commission of inquiry into the destruction of the country’s environment.
“The team will start work by June 16 and will have 60 days within which to work and report back their findings and recommendations,” she said.
